Every Little Part of Me
by klcm
Summary: Garcia never thought Morgan could break her heart
1. A Painful Love

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_So there's been a break, but that's because I wanted this completed before I posted a thing, so I can guarantee updates without long waits =)_

_Now this, this is a heartbreaker, thanks to Wordofwyrd, Emzypemzy and BonesBird for being my voices of reasons and loving every bit of this story =) You guys rock! _

_Now without further ado onto the story..._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

She sat outside, the cool air breezing around her, the coldness hitting her tears as she tried to let them fall silently but it was no use.

She was heartbroken.

Penelope bent over her perched position as the pain she felt became unbearable, almost physical, and she couldn't help the howl that escaped her lips as she felt tortured by what she'd witnessed only hours earlier.

She had sat in the pews of a church, watching the man she loved get married and he spoke his vows with such conviction and love that she knew there and then that all the year's she'd spent dreaming off him as her man were for absolutely nothing and she knew that whatever she thought or even felt right now, she was never going to get the one thing she wanted now.

She was never going to get herself the man of her dreams, she was never going to get her one true love and she was never going to be destined for that happily ever after.

Here she was outside alone, while he finished his first dance and all she could do was feel the rage of jealousy fill her and the sadness as her heart laid splintered in pieces around her. There was no other emotion, there was no happiness for the event, no elation that Derek was finally happy and there was certainly no excitement in watching him in his life now.

"PG?" She heard and shot her head up to see Emily, "Pen what's a matter?" She asked as she came around hastily and crouched in front of her, immediately panicking as she saw the pain stricken look on her friend's face.

"I love him, Emily." Penelope admitted in a low, painful whisper and the tears fell down her face, "I'm in love with Derek and today's just proven that he never loved me like that and he never will." Penelope choked on the onslaught of tears and tried to calm herself but to no avail.

"Oh Pen," Emily sympathised as she sat there staring at the pain her friend was suffering over this, "why didn't you tell him?"

"Because he's happy." Penelope told her, "Who am I to take that from him when that's all I want to see?"

Emily sighed, "If you love him you had a right to tell him. You had a chance like Alice did, there was no stopping you."

Penelope nodded, "I'm not made for Derek. She's made for Derek." Penelope told Emily, her eyes just crying more and more tears, "It was all wasted, Em, all those years that I fell deeper and deeper in love with him were for nothing. I wanted a man that was never mine for the taking and he never will be now and I have to live with that."

"You don't have to do a thing, it's never too late."

"He's married." Penelope pointed out heartbrokenly.

"He's still your best friend," Emily reasoned back and pushed a stray curl behind Penelope's ear, "He'll listen to you."

Penelope shook her head and rolled her eyes as more tears came, "I-I can't do that to him and I won't. He's happy now, Em, everyone in that room can see it. Derek's world is her, it's not me anymore, it's not been me for a long time. He deserves to be happy, God does he above everyone."

"So that's it?" Emily asked, "You give up?"

"My love for him is just empty compared to his love for Alice. If it wasn't I would be the one that just declared my love for him in front of everyone possible. I would've been the one that would be kissing him whenever the hell I want and I would be the one that could tell him fearlessly that I'm so in love with him it hurts."

Emily's eyes watered, "it's never too late." She tried again with the same argument.

"Emily, get it into your head, what you all saw, and what I felt for him for years was for nothing. He never saw it because he never felt even an ounce of it and he never will. It's never been me, I was just his friend, his baby girl, and I'm not even that now."

Penelope's eyes welled harder that time and the tears drew down her cheeks, marring them more and more.

"I know I'll never stop loving him, and now, after today, I don't think I'll ever recover but today proved a lot of things and it answered a lot of unasked questions and I guess I needed this to show me that life's cruel, that there's only one type of man that'll ever want me."

"Don't give up so soon, this isn't you. What about everything happening for a reason?"

"The only reason I can see of this is for a reality check." Penelope said and began to sob, her splintered heart just being crushed completely, she looked at Emily, her eyes large, and showing the screams for help she was in need of. "P-please tell m-me I won't hurt this b-bad forever..." She pleaded for an answer, "I n-need to know that th-this won't hurt like this every day because i-it's killing me r-right now."

Emily's heart broke as she heard Penelope sob the words out, "I can't promise you that, Pen, I can't tell you how fast you'll heal; all I can do is be there for you." Emily vowed and grabbed her hand, "It'll get better, you just need time."

Penelope put her head down as she tried to breathe away the torrent of sobs, "I-I love him so much, Em." She finalised and her entire posture just collapsed on itself. "I never fell this hard before and now I have and I can't do a damn thing to sort it."

"I say you tell him." Emily persisted.

"I am not telling him!" Penelope shouted as her head shot up, "There is no point, and I refuse to hurt him or Alice like that, I refuse to be that type of woman. I refuse to be that." Penelope argued back, "I need to wake up and realise that it happened."

Emily looked at her, readying for the carry on.

"I woke up from my dream." She told her friend and tilted her head to the side, "and woke up to my nightmare."

Emily felt herself lose a tear as she heard in Penelope's tone the evidence of desolation, of giving up. She heard every droplet of lost love and she heard every ounce of devastation in her friend's voice and all she could do was wrap her arms around her and hold her as her sobs became harsher than ever and began to steal Penelope's breath as she lost control.

Derek on the other hand turned on his heels and went back in the building, looking for a stiff drink and a quiet place to clear his head of Penelope's words.

He'd gone to find her, he'd seen her expressions throughout the day and he had been waiting for his opportunity to go to her and to see what was wrong.

And boy did he just find out.

He realised he wasn't going to get a quiet place to just reflect, not as his new wife came towards him and for once Derek finally looked at his second place price. He's substitute, his wrong choice and he plastered a smile on his lips.

He had to live with this as much as Penelope was _living_ with hers.

Here was to forever as he had vowed only hours earlier.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _I did warn it was a heartbreaker... I just didn't specify whose heart would be broken..._


	2. Pillars of Support

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_Chapter two here guys, thanks for the all the reviews, alerts, favourites =) Update tomorrow will, if all goes to plan, be earlier because I'm heading to Usher's concert in London so won't be near a laptop until Friday, but I promise you a daily update __**;)**_

_For now enjoy..._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Even only 3 days later the ache in her heart was nowhere near ending. If anything it was being exacerbated to extremes.

Derek was on his honeymoon and after years of dreaming it, it wasn't with her. She had to laugh at herself for that, for ever believing that she would be the girl that Derek would hang his bachelor label up for, the one that would capture his sole attention for the rest of eternity.

For months now she'd asked for more hours, praying that the overhaul of work would distract her, and it did. While it lasted that was, other than that she was left to haul up in her apartment with things that reminded her so vividly of Derek.

Pictures, ornaments, jewellery, trinkets, music, DVDs.

They all spoke volumes of memories, all stamped an event, big or small, in her life and she knew, now that Derek was married and finally taken they'd all stop. After all, a married man doesn't buy jewellery like Derek used to for a woman that's just a best friend. And he wouldn't pose in photos like he did, he wouldn't allow for captured moments like kissing her temple or holding her close against the chill of the summer breeze as they sat on a beach.

Not anymore.

That lifetime was over, and now dawned a new one. One that was of a lonelier existence, and one that she had to fight on her own. She needed something beyond the quiet pursuit of a dream. Something real and achievable and that something wasn't going to be wearing her heart on her sleeve in what dying hope she had.

She had to suck it up, breathe a new life and go out hunting before she became commonly known as unmarriageable.

Living with her entire concern being work was wearing her down though. She knew there was a breaking point in a person's mentality but she was sure that after surviving what her life had thrown at her would have broken her completely by now. She'd lived more dark moments than any other person, she'd watched as the man she loved, loved other women right in front of her and she watched the same man become the happiest man he had ever been around her. She was so sure that letting him go was the easiest thing for all of them, not just her, but it seemed that she was the one hurting while everyone's lives ticked onwards in perfection.

Coughing to shift the ever building tears she got on with Team B's work, it was just coming up 9 in the morning, her team were just getting in and she wasn't even off shift just yet.

"You actually trying to destroy yourself, Garcia?"

Penelope turned to see Rossi there, he smiled at her, a little pitifully, a little concerned and he entered the room. He knew more than anyone about heartbreak, just no one else knew that.

"You can't keep working nonstop Kitten without a reason." He said as he leant against the table in front of her.

Penelope smiled weakly, shrugged a little, "Who say it's without reason?" She asked him and turned back to her computers.

"Is it not then?"

"I need a little extra money." She admitted and then entered some of the data she had, appreciating Rossi for not pressuring her into blabbing just yet.

"For what?" He finally asked as she didn't carry on. Now he was going to order answers from her.

Penelope looked up at him, "I put in a request for a transfer earlier, bit of extra cash would help with finding a new place and it should be going to Hotch's desk soon so I should be out of here in like two weeks."

"You're leaving?" He asked her ambiguously, "Why? I mean aren't you happy?"

Penelope couldn't articulate an answer for him, it was more a stubborn move, but she didn't want to be pitied, not by David Rossi, not by anyone.

"Is it Morgan getting married?" Rossi asked her gently, he saw her stiffen and he knew he'd hit a note, "What's got you worried? I mean you'll always be Penelope, his baby girl, he said that often enough in the months leading up to his wedding. I mean you proved you were sticking in there whatever."

"It got a little harder, I guess," Penelope said and the moment her eyes looked into Dave's she realised she couldn't lie, not when he'd helped her so much over the years. "I fell in love with him, Dave," She shrugged and tried to calm herself before she burst into tears again. "And the thing that hurts the most is knowing that I was too blind to stop myself."

"Not blind, you want what every other woman wants, Penelope." He told her and Penelope sniffed and dropped her eyes down to her hands, "You just wanted a true love."

Penelope closed her eyes at that, that little sentence bit into her hard and she realised she did just want true love, and she was so sure it was with Derek.

"Why did you think Derek was yours?" He asked her coolly, his tone remaining steady, "I mean what drew you to him exactly?"

"Initially his looks," She tried to joke, make light of the current situation, "and then, I got to know him on a one to one basis, he became the closest person I had in this place and I felt special you know?" She asked him rhetorically, "I was Derek Morgan's baby girl, the girl that riled him rotten when I wanted to and could get him sexually frustrated with just one sentence, heck even a breath and I could do it, and..." She took a break, calming herself, "I mean, when I'm with him I'm happy, extremely happy, I feel safe and secure, I can be just me, and I loved that, I loved that he didn't want me to change because every other man wants to."

Rossi was lost for words, he knew that Penelope and Derek were close but he didn't realise just how much of Penelope's personality thrived on being just one thing to one man. He'd never heard one of his wives say that to him, claim him as the epitome of her being.

And here, right in this office, Derek was losing out on hearing just what he'd made of something.

"I promised I wouldn't do this, that I'd be okay with him and Alice, and that I'd move on because I would know for sure that I never stood a chance and I guess maybe had I changed myself, I might have had a chance."

"Don't you ever change yourself for anyone Penelope, you are loved for you by many and those that don't are-"

"Jealous right?" She asked him, finishing his sentence, "I'm nothing worth being jealous of."

She sucked in a quick succession of breaths and calmed, looking at the door as she felt a new presence.

"A word in my office?" Hotch asked her and then walked off, his expression dark, his tone unimpressed.

"Start of new beginnings right?" Penelope asked as she slapped a hand to Rossi's knee in an act of gratitude, "Thanks for listening, Boss Man."

Rossi watched her leave and he never thought he'd see Penelope be so destroyed and he never, not after all these years of working with the team, did he think he could claim Derek her destroyer.

He sighed and followed, heading straight to his office.

Penelope watched Hotch's face as he tried his hardest to get her to refuse the idea of a transfer and after beating it out of her he decided that he would only let her go on a temporary basis, one that meant he'd have her back in six months and hopefully she'd be a reformed being, one that had restored hope for the future. She knew she couldn't lie to him, and she knew that Hotch would view the transfer as a weak person's way out and he valued no one on the team as weak or insubordinate.

So she took his deal, six months out and she would be back.

As she left his office, pulling the door too slowly she knew it was going to take longer than six months to mend a broken heart but it was sure a start.

Looking into the bull pen however, her heart began to pound faster as Derek stood up and went towards her, not so much as a hello or a nickname or even an acknowledgment to her existence and her heart sunk deeper than it already had.

He knocked and opened the door, but didn't go in.

"I thought I was ready to be back Hotch, but really, I'm not. Can I take the time back?"

"Course Morgan, come back when you're ready."

Penelope finally felt her life pump back into her body, unfreezing her muscles one at a time.

"If you need me I'll be in Chicago." He said and pulled the door back too, looked at Penelope and then went to his desk, picked his stuff up and left, a goodbye to Reid, nothing to Emily and then he left entirely.

Gathering her sense she fled the bullpen, mulling over new strategies and by the time she came up with one she didn't know if she was stupid, blind or hopeful.

All she knew was that her best friend was hurting and she was going to be what she had been to him for years.

His pillar of support.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _So... who's for more?_


	3. Knowing The Pain

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_So it's just after midday here in sunny, yes we have SUN, woo, England and well this update is like 12 hours early for my usual standard... let's hope you think it's worth it =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope stood on the porch of Fran Morgan, Penelope knew this place well, from multiple visits before, and as soon as she had permission she pushed through airline security and booked a flight all within a wisp of a breath.

She'd swung by her hotel first, checked in, dropped her stuff off, gathered what nerves she had together, and then came to Fran's address.

She rose her hand and knocked, gently at first and then the last two hits a little more pronounced.

The door opened and Penelope locked eyes with Derek and the door slammed back in her face not even seconds later. For a moment she just stared at the brown swirls of the wood, taking in its pattern whilst she tried to assess what had just happened.

She had absolutely no idea what she'd done to royally piss off Derek Morgan but she'd done something and it was something she couldn't even begin to decide. Yet as she stood there and the door opened slowly and her glance levelled out she realised her worse fear.

Someone else heard her talking to Emily and Derek had consequently found out.

"Can I help you, Penelope?" Fran asked out, breaking Penelope free of all thought.

"Erm, Mrs Morgan..." Penelope asked, her nerves playing on her vocals at that moment.

Fran looked Penelope, she always did like this woman, she was respectful, wasn't brash, wasn't malicious and her heart yearned to keep Derek happened. Unlike another woman in her son's life.

"Why are you here Penelope?"

Penelope looked into Fran's eyes, she'd found a mother in this woman years ago, her own solace, but when Alice came onto the scene Penelope took several gracious steps back, removed herself from the Morgan family fold she had been welcomed into to allow Alice her place.

"I'm worried about Derek, Fran, I don't know why he's back, but he shouldn't be and he barely spoke to anyone at work, much less me and I'm worried, something's not right and I'm worried," She began to ramble on incessantly. "Is he okay?"

"Come in," Was all Fran responded with and took a step back, allowing Penelope to enter.

She saw Derek sitting on the couch, blankly watching the TV and she just stood and watched him, his beautiful face so contorted with pain of some sort and it reminded her a little of what she'd gone through. The pain she felt the night she found Kevin in bed with another woman, that exact pain she remembered was now reflected in Derek's face entirely and her heart clenched.

"Handsome," She started hesitantly as Fran for the kitchen.

"Don't..." He said and didn't look at her.

"Penelope, would you like a drink?" Fran asked politely.

Penelope smiled, about to accept the offer, she needed something to kill her nerves.

"No, because she's just about leave." Derek said and stood up and face Penelope, he watched her face fall, her concern hallowing out, her eyes just staring at him. "She's going to leave this house, get her stuff, go to the airport and fuck the hell off back to Quantico." He said and stormed out of the room.

Penelope was left baffle and she looked around, her hand going to her head, trying her hardest to make sense of what had just unravelled right in front of her, but she couldn't for the life of her make sense of it at all. And for the first time since her first day in this house Penelope felt out of place and awkward.

"He will be okay," Fran said as she remained standing in the doorway, "He just needs you right now."

"I can't help him if I don't know what I'm helping him with, Fran, and this is killing me to see him so unlike himself." Penelope admitted, her voice so full of pain for Derek, none of it was self centred, it was all for Derek. "What happened between Saturday and today Fran? What killed his happiness?"

"Alice," Was all Fran let on, her tone full of disgust, and she stepped towards Penelope, "I know you'll be good to him, he needs someone like you around." Fran smiled at her appreciatively, "I know he does, he just needs to realise it himself. I'm so thankful you came here, I was unsure if to call."

"If she's hurt him I swear I'll hurt her too." Penelope vowed, the last she wanted was for Derek to be victim of his marriage. "I thought they were happy."

"Like I said Penelope, just be his friend and he'll open up. He's harbouring a lot right now and I can't get through, no matter how hard I try, I can't get through to him and the moment I picked him up from the airport I knew that." Fran shrugged, her sigh full of motherly angst, "You were always the one to break him most, can you do that now and sort him out?"

"I'll try my hardest."

Fran nodded and smiled a small smile, "You'll never know how grateful I am for him finding someone like you."

"No, Fran, you'll never know how grateful I am for someone like Derek finding me." Penelope told her and watched as Fran turned to go back into the kitchen, but as she turned she saw Derek standing there, "C'mon Handsome we need to talk."

"I thought I told you to go." He asked her, his voice domineering and not his usual tone.

Penelope frowned, "Well buddy, you're stuck with me until I sort you out, so either you stand there and tell me or sit and tell, because I'm not leaving this house until I'm satisfied you're restored."

"I don't need to be restored, what I need is for you get out of my face, like Alice needs to stay away and then I'll be fine."

"Uh huh," Penelope started, "About that, I don't quite know how I come into this, or why I got ignored at work, or why you're even why you're back in the country..."

"You, you're why I'm back." He cut into her sentence stiffly, still standing there in front of her, "And I'll let you know when I want you to know."

"Since when did we treat one another like that? Since when did we just walk away when the other one needed a little help?" Penelope asked him, standing her ground, standing strongly next to her values of their tiring friendship. "I'm not leaving."

"I'm sure Emily will like that talk more than me Penelope." He spat out and began to approach her.

Penelope looked at his face, the pain replaced with anger, red hot anger was in his eyes and her heart stopped beating as he came at her in an almost menacing manner. Her brain was telling her to step back, to let him have some space but her body wouldn't move and that last sentence was reverberating around her head.

He must've heard her declaration on his wedding night. He must've heard it to be like this, he wouldn't be like this from word of mouth. Derek didn't react like that; he had to hear it firsthand to believe it so solidly for it to affect him.

She shook her head, he wasn't meant to hear that, none of it was meant for him to hear.

Now as he stood before her, towering over her she just listened, didn't respond in any way but just watched him, readying for the next move.

"Like I said, Garcia," Derek said leaning in, his breath still red hot with pent up anger, his eyes boring into her harshly, "Get out and leave me the hell alone."

He then stood up, barged into the kitchen and slammed the back door as he went out into the yard.

Penelope sucked in a deep breath, this was personal and she knew it, and she knew she couldn't leave, so she went into the kitchen, passed Fran and silently went out into the yard after Derek.

Even with emotions running rapid, she was still his best friend, whatever her heart was screaming for.

And she was going to cherish what she still had, while she still had it.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _And now I'm leaving you hanging with what's to come..._


	4. Play The Blame Game

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_Wow your support is phenomenal for this, guys! Glad you're loving it, let's just hope you enjoy what's to come! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"It's your fault it ended," Derek ground out, unable to look at her, "I'd be a happily married man if you'd just kept a lid on your emotions for just one day."

Penelope stared confused, "Me?" She asked him incredulously, "I'm sorry Derek but I don't get how I finished your marriage."

She could feel her heart racing in her chest, near enough thumping off of her rib cage.

"_I love him so much, Em_." He retorted, "It took me marrying someone that wasn't you to realise that?"

Penelope remained silent, her eyes filling with tears, her fear only becoming ever growing within her. She'd known for years, realising from day one, that she loved him; it wasn't some spur of the moment recognition.

"I gave you years of friendship and then I find that out after you stood by my side at that alter, you helped me pick a suit and the rings and you helped put the wedding together and all along it was you just being fake. What the hell is that about?"

"I did it for you," Penelope said and stepped forward, trying to fix this, "You were getting married; I wasn't in a place to say you were making a mistake or I knew you weren't entirely happy because only you can decide that."

"You lied to me," Derek said and he sounded so hurt, "I could see you didn't want to be there, that you had other places to be, that you'd probably prefer sitting at work actually doing something or at home hiding away than out seeing me get my big chance at something that you knew I wanted _so_ badly."

"You're not listening to me." Penelope said, her tone tight and heated, "You – were – happy. What of that can't you understand exactly? I was there to keep that happening, regardless of what I felt. And the only reason I'm here is to see if you're okay, like a friend should be."

"And here's me betting you have an ulterior motive there. Oh, Morgan's on the rebound let's jump in and get what I want." He looked at her, his eyes glowing with that anger again, "Well guess what Garcia, I don't love you and never will. Not after this."

Penelope felt the hot tears fall down her face, "That's fine; I won't be around much to care." She said and went to go back in, she was going to say bye to Fran and leave for her hotel.

Her heart officially beyond repair.

"And what the fuck is that meant to mean?"

Penelope dropped her hand from the door handle and turned back to him, "I requested a transfer." She said lowly.

"Running from your problems, well that isn't very you. I mean you never ran when that bastard shot you or the other bastard cheated, but me, oh me I get you to transfer."

"Well that's because this bastard took it too far!" She yelled at him, finally breaking, "Years I spent just hoping you'd open your eyes and look at me and it never happened and then Alice happened, you haven't been bothered with me for months, so why bother now Derek?" She asked him, "Scared to lose the play toy you had at your beck and call for years?" She asked him and the tears got heavier, "I was a fool to ever get close to you if this was what was going to happen."

Derek could feel his heart breaking at this moment, "So what? This is the end of us?"

"What us?" She scoffed at him, "The girl came along and I was old news, I wasn't needed anymore so," she shrugged, "what us?"

"All that you said outside that night, to Emily, I heard it all, how you refused to tell me well you got your chance, I called out for you on my wedding night, on my honeymoon and she cheated on me." Derek's hands went to his head in frustration, "You're always in my head and I thought distance would help but God it never did."

Derek looked down then, straight into Penelope's piercing eyes and he saw how broken down and worn she was from loving him and how hard it was for her to just be here.

Penelope shrugged again and swallowed the lump in her throat, "I didn't expect you to hear that."

"I guessed so." He answered, he could still remember hearing how absolutely heartbroken she had sounded that night; how her sobs had been heart wrenching and so powerful that he felt his entire world shake.

"I was hurting and I couldn't, for the life of me, watch you dance with her, I'm sorry Derek but it's plain and simple, that moment made it real, I lost, like I always do." Penelope dropped her head as the tears got harder, "at the end of the day, you're married, you can make this right and I won't be around for you to worry about."

"Where are you going?"

"Does it matter?" Penelope asked him sadly with a brief smile, "I guess fresh breaks and everything, but I get it, I'm not needed, or for that matter wanted here so I'll leave but when you get back home, talk to Alice, she'll come around, I know she cheated and I know how you're feeling, God do I, and I know it's not a great feeling but salvage it, because you only find you're better half once."

"Baby Girl..." Derek called out, his tone softer, he realised then that Penelope wasn't there to get him to love her, she was there to apologise for her own mistake that he'd been unaware of, to offer him his best friend in his hour of darkness.

"Don't make this harder," Penelope began to sob, "I gave you up a long time ago, I know it doesn't look like it but you can't help when you fall so in love with someone, but I really did give up a long time ago. I just wasn't the one you wanted."

"Don't leave." He pleaded with her to stay; he had so much to say.

Penelope laughed in disbelief, "When I got here you asked me to leave; now you don't." Penelope wrapped her arms around herself against the cold air, "If you come back and I'm gone just know it was good knowing you. Amazing even."

"I never had you down as a chicken."

"There's nothing there for me now! I need to move on; I can't just stick around forever."

"You know what," Derek said, his mood shifting again, and all because he was scared of the love he had for Penelope, the one he knew was real and reciprocated, "You leave and I don't ever want to hear from you again, not at Christmases or birthdays, nothing, if you can't be strong enough to stick around and try again in Quantico then I don't want to know at all."

Penelope's heart shattered even more again, the splinters almost dust now. Readying to be blown away into the Chicago night.

"Count it as already done." She said and went back into the house, she watched Fran shoot out of her chair, "Sorry about the intrusion Fran, it was lovely seeing you again, but I'll see myself out."

"Penelope, if you love him so much why not fight?" Fran asked, having heard the fight even through the closed door and windows.

"He has something good started at home. I'm not going to break that." Penelope shrugged at her, the saddest of smiles on her lips.

Fran's eye watered, this woman loved her son so much she'd make herself so unhappy for him to remain happy, "I think you need to look closer at the situation."

"Fran, Derek overheard something on his wedding night, something I said in confidence to a friend and it played on his mind. Simple thing is, Derek doesn't love me like that, and he never will."

"Oh Penelope, maybe you need to look at what just happened..."

"Thank you, Fran, but I don't want to look any closer, if we were in love then it'd have happened, and it hasn't and I get it now, just a little too late, tell Derek I said bye and that I'll always love him, but I have to leave."

Fran watched Penelope leave the kitchen and as the front door she had one thing in mind that she'd hope her son would realise Penelope had done.

_If you love something set it free, if it comes back it's yours, if not it was never meant to be._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N: **_ So who's lost the faith?_


	5. Protecting A Broken Heart

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_Now for a little more..._

_Thanks for all the reviews, favourites and alerts guys, it means a lot =) _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Derek stood in the yard a little while longer, right up until his legs gave way and he collapsed onto the steps and openly cried about everything that had happened over the last couple of days. About what he had heard on his wedding night, what he had felt, the incomplete feeling within him, the night Alice cheated and he cried because he had just attacked Penelope and her only crime was loving him enough to follow him.

He was still pissed, still brooding from the turn of events but he now allowed his feeling of utter devastation settle in. He allowed it to be openly known.

His mom just came out into the open, placed the blankets she'd brought out ready on the side and went and sat next to him, offering her shoulder, if he deemed it necessary, to cry on and was lending him an ear to listen.

"I hurt her mom." Derek said sorrowfully his hands reaching his lips in a prayer like manner. "Oh God I hurt her so bad."

Fran reached up, her hand going to his back, rubbing it in comfort, she leant in, "She'll understand."

"No-" He said forthright, "No she won't, I was mean and nasty and ruthless and all because I finally found out she loves me."

"It's nothing new, Derek, she's always loved you." Fran told her son truthfully, there were no lies to be had at this moment in time, "Ever since the first time you brought her home I knew, the way she looked at you, the way she responded to your moods, how she comforted you, it's been a constant."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because there are some areas in life that my role as mother doesn't permit me to go, and meddling with your love life is one of them."

The silence settled in then and Derek searched the darkness of his back yard for answers, for truths, but all he got were replays of the angry words, the anger, the brooding feeling, the break in Penelope and his relationship.

_Years I spent just hoping you'd open your eyes and look at me and it never happened and then Alice happened, you haven't been bothered with me for months._

Penelope was right, after years of vowing to never to neglect her, to ever ignore her and he went back on it and ignored her and neglected her completely. He remembered all the times he rang her cancelling movie nights, and refusing to dance with her, and backing away from using nicknames. Penelope became another friend to him all the while she strived to keep the status she had held for years.

Alice was his destruction from day one, and it took him less than a year and a mistake of a marriage to prove it.

"Alice slept with another man," Derek confessed; his tone dark and haunted.

"Oh Derek, how could she marry you with that hanging over her." Fran sympathised, her dislike of Alice just manifesting.

"Oh no, Ma," Derek stopped her and looked at his mom, a look of despair feeling his eyes, a lost hope revolving in them entirely. "She slept with a man off the bar staff on our first night of our honeymoon."

"What? Why?" Fran asked taken back.

Derek looked away, ashamed of what happened, looking back into the shadows of the night and he dipped his head again, running his hands over in sheer frustration, pure anguish.

"I called out for Penelope while we were asleep..." Derek didn't need to say more, "I did that to Alice, I thought I loved her but it's always been Penelope, no other woman can deny help me that and no matter what I say or what I do and however hard I try it fails me, because Penelope is just too far into my system."

"Derek, I think you need to be truthful with yourself before you do anything else." Fran told her son, her main concern was fixing her son, her other concern was making sure that Derek didn't throw away what he had good in his life, and that was Penelope. "You need to fight for her now, son, she needs someone to fight for her."

"I'm still so angry with her." He said as he hands came down and his fists clenched tightly.

"Why Derek? Because she gave up because she thought that that would be happier for you? You cannot be angry with her for that, for putting you before herself." Fran told her son, watching his expression shift from one emotion to another. "And her coming here, Derek it wasn't in a bid to win you, it was because she's a much bigger person than what she's been through. Even though she watched you with Alice, helped with the wedding and then stood by you while you said your vows and then, even after it all, even though she was under the pretence that you were still married, followed you to Chicago to make you were okay. That says more about Penelope than anyone will ever know."

Derek looked at his mom more intently in the near darkness, his face covered with unashamed tears. His body electrified with so many conflicting emotions. One that stuck within was anger, anger at her leaving, at her not truly facing up while she had the moment to. He was angry with himself and however much his mom sat and talked him out of his emotions; he still needed to release his anger at Penelope before he could finally let her in.

It was as though he'd trapped himself in amongst all these walls, keeping himself from ever really committing to any woman that got close and all that filtered in was anger after anger. Anger from watching her get hurt by Battle, getting with Kevin Lynch to getting hurt by Lynch, to then finding out she'd loved him all the time through it all and lastly, he was angry that she was leaving altogether.

"So, Baby, I don't think you should rightfully blame her or yourself for this."

Derek stood up; he needed to walk this out.

"She's leaving mom, she's taking a transfer because of me," He growled after that, heated and anger filled. "When she leaves Chicago that's it, I lose her forever. I told her to go, and if she did I never wanted to hear from her again."

Now Derek looked at his mom with a certain childlike innocence and need.

"Mom, I've messed up so bad."

All Fran did was pat where he'd been sitting, "I've got an idea."

"I thought you said you wouldn't help me in my love life."

"I'm not helping, I'm pushing you in the right direction," Fran told him, knowing that if she didn't she'd never see her real son again.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope literally fled that night, she left that house feeling like her heart was left in the palm of Derek's hand being crushed and made eternally irreparable.

Penelope had felt nothing but emptiness. Like a vital part of her was missing and she knew full well it was her heart, the one that hadn't been hers for years yet still felt a part of her. It was after the argument she discovered that she was parted with it; she no longer felt it thrashing against her chest. After all, her chest might as well just be hallow now.

However much she tried over the waning months, however much work she took upon herself, however many times she went out for lunch, dinner, dancing with the girls, her mind always remained stuck on Derek, yearning for him, praying for him to just realise she was there waiting.

Reaching her hotel room she just fell onto the bed in a heap, unable to contain the sobs that she had kept well within her.

She cried for how dependent she had become on her friendship with Derek, how he'd made her feel day in day out, how he had picked her up from her darkest points and how he made her feel like she was one of the most beautiful women in the world.

The thing was she didn't feel that empowerment any longer, she didn't feel attractive, or Goddess like, she didn't feel like she was unique and quirky. She felt out of place and unattractive, she felt like she was hiding under the colours and boldness.

She cried harder that she needed someone like Derek to believe she was worthy of male attention.

She hated how she viewed her life, how all it seemed to be was full of heartbreak.

Looking at the clock she realised that come half nine in the morning she'd be getting a cab to the airport, going back to her home, her most prized place and then leaving it not long after.

Like she told Derek, fresh breaks and everything were about to begin and she was going to try and grasp hers as much as she could.

For now she needed to cry this pain away.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	6. Public Realisation

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_Let's see if you like this... I really wanted to post this ASAP last night but I restrained =P Enjoy! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope sat on the aisle seat, she couldn't turn away from any vying eye and not even the best make up in the world could help her cover up the mess her eyes were after so much crying. The pain she was in emotionally was almost crippling and all she wanted to do was go home and, as hard as it was going to be, delete Derek Morgan from her life.

He didn't want her, that was proved last night, and she didn't know if she could cope with a life with him on the same team, yet knowing the depth of her love. She laid almost every card down last night and he'd told her he didn't love her.

_Well guess what Garcia, I don't love you and never will. Not after this._

The words were on a constant loop, stinging her ever more harshly as they went.

He had loved her, of course he had, she was his baby girl, his best friend, the one that had stood beside him as he declared how happily in love with Alice he was and yet she was the bad guy in all this because she hadn't told him she love him. Had she done so, he'd have probably called her jealous. Jealous that he was getting a chance to settle down and she wasn't after Kevin had left her high and dry.

Yet that wasn't the reason, she loved him, whole heartedly loved him, and now she had the broken, shattered heart beating weakly in her chest as proof.

She rubbed her eyes and tried to settle down, he knew she hated flying as much as clowns and he hadn't even thought what battle she'd gone through just to get to Chicago in the first place, and then he hadn't even thought of why she was there. For him, she was taking advantage of the moment, getting her chance; to her, she was there because she was worried about him, had been since seeing him back in work that day. She worried for how withdrawn he'd become, how off with her he had been and she was worried that his marriage was over before it'd began.

She knew she'd never heal from this, and it would forever be a burden on her because she knew she'd never be able to love another man like she loved Derek, and she never wanted to. The love she felt for him was true, and pure and whatever happened, wherever she ended up after all this, she knew no other man would eclipse that and that was probably the most murderous part of this all.

Dropping her head a little, she rubbed her hands across her forehead, to try and ease the pounding headache she had been carrying since pulling herself off of the bed that morning. Lack of sleep, over thinking, and continual crying were not the best combination on anyone and Penelope knew it was going to be a hard struggle to shift the darkened mood that had taken over every fibre of her being.

"Sir, I can't allow you on without a boarding pass," one of the attendants said sternly as she stood letting the remaining straggling passengers on.

"I'm FBI, you let me on!"

Penelope's head snapped up and she watched Derek barge into the cabin, his face full of anger and malice, she cringed. There was only one reason he was here and that was her.

As soon as he turned his eyes narrowed on her and she felt her heart jump into her throat and pound violently, revived at the mere sight of him, as he went to go towards her, she sat frozen while the male attendants blocked his way.

"Sir, I need to ask you to leave this aircraft so we can start our journey. Your disturbance is upsetting some of the passengers."

Derek towered over all staff on the plane, even the security guards that ran on after were in no way a match for Derek as he stood pumped and empowered.

"I'll leave, when she gets off too." He said and pointed to Penelope, everyone looking at her immediately, "That's right _Baby Girl_," He said, his tone so seemingly snaked with hate and hurt in that moment, "We're not done."

Penelope remained silent and unmoved, she wasn't about to leave to go with Derek, no way, he'd said his bit and now she was moving on in what little way that was.

"No," Penelope spoke up, "We are because I'm going home."

Derek chuckled, shaking his head, about to command her again.

"Miss, I think it's best you speak with him, we can arrange for the next flight to take you back to DC." One of the flight attendants told her as she stood beside her.

"I'm sorry, but I'm on this flight and I refuse to move."

That was it for Derek, he knew she was stubborn but he was too and he wasn't leaving this plane without her either coming with him by her own choice or with him dragging her.

"We've got stuff to sort out, so you'll come back and then you can go home." Derek said and then watched as she sat there, refusal written all over her face, "Fine."

Penelope didn't realise what was happening, he was reaching into the overhead compartment one moment, then for her belt the next and lastly her hand before dragging her off the plane and back into the departure lounge, ignoring any and all sense of authority as he went.

"Derek!" Penelope screamed as his grasp began to hurt her wrist and she writhed and wiggled to get loose but it was no use, "Get the hell of me, Derek Morgan!" Yet she knew as much as she screamed and cried for freedom, Derek wasn't letting go until he was done.

When he let her go she immediately nursed her wrist, pulling it to her chest and watched his demeanour. His whole body shook with anger and Penelope hated it. He dropped her bag down on the floor and put his hands on his head, breathing out hot breaths.

"What the hell do you need with me now?" Penelope asked him, her teeth gritting together, her heart break turning her bitter, she didn't want to see him, let alone speak to him. "I thought you didn't want to know anymore?"

"I wasn't done last night." Derek said a couple of moments later, his hands still on his head and he just looked at her.

"Great," Penelope threw her hands in the air, a feeling of distress flooding her entire system, "Just great, as though what was shared with the class last night wasn't enough for you, let's add public humiliation and a bit more of a beat down to the list shall we?"

"No what I want is truth, you came here for a reason, and I wanna know what it was." Derek asked her, his tone calming some. "Don't lie to me like you did last night."

"I didn't lie to you!" Penelope said, her tone full of anguish, "I came because I was worried about you, Derek, I'm forever worried about you when you're not acting right and when you got into work earlier this week, you weren't you, you weren't happy and newly married men should be exceptionally happy."

Derek looked at her, and he saw the concern etched into her expression, heard the honesty in her every word.

"So next time I have a supposed _ulterior motive_ think of who you're talking to." Penelope said as bitter tears spilt and she bent over to pick up her bag, she stood and looked at him. "I don't quite know what happened with you and Alice, but all I did was share something with Emily, you might have heard but it wasn't an intentional move. So never, _ever _think that I'm that type of person because I would never take advantage of you while you're hurting."

Penelope started to walk away then, to get another flight back, to get away from him, and she stopped, turned to him, her face pinched with all the emotional pain she was suffering.

"I never thought loving you would hurt me, but I was blind, loving you has to be the most hurtful thing I've ever had to do." She then turned and continued to walk away.

With tears building he watched her despondent figure walk away, he had her all wrong, he was hurting and in turned he'd pushed Penelope to such a point that she finally broke.

"I love you," He said shouted out, yet she didn't stop, "I'm in love with you Penelope!" He yelled across the departure lounge and watched her freeze completely. "I was a liar for always denying it, for marrying Alice, for telling you I could never love you."

Penelope turned, no hope igniting her eyes at all.

"I was a liar last night." He finally said as he walked to her, closing the gap, quietening down, making the moment a little more private from the attention he'd drawn. "What I'm not a liar for is it being your fault my marriage ended so quickly."

The saddest look fell into Penelope's eyes again, her head bowing some in shame.

"If I hadn't heard the truth that night I'd still be lying to not just Alice and my family, but myself as well and that would just lead to a bigger fall out." He told her truthfully, "I married my second best because I thought my ultimate best didn't love me when all along she's loved me entirely."

Penelope rose her head with the help of Derek as he placed his hand gently to her chin. This was a shockingly stark contrast from how he'd been earlier when he'd dragged her from the plane.

"If I let you go home the chances of you being there when I got back are so slim and I can't lose you. I love you far too much for that, Baby Girl, and I don't ever want to lose you."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Penelope asked, her lip curved downwards a little, her eyes crying heavy tears, her body readying for open distressed sobs.

"Because I need you to realise how fucked up I made my life." He said and moved in closer, their noses nearly touching one another's, their eyes unable to look anywhere but at each other's. "I screwed up and last night I hurt the most precious thing in my life and for that I will forever be regretful. I never meant to hurt you Penelope, I only ever meant to love you."

"This can't end well." Penelope doubted as she felt the urge to pull away on instinct, "Alice already hates me, this is just going to finish it."

"She's hates you?" Derek asked almost horrified, Alice always told him she loved Penelope.

"Not everyone sees me as potential best friend," Penelope shrugged, "Guess I'm no one's best friend."

Derek took one last look at Penelope and just moved in closer, capturing her lips in a fast and hardened kiss. Allowing everyone to watch his own declaration of love, the one he had for Penelope. Allowing Penelope to feel the exact same affirmation of love that was on show.

This time Penelope dropped her bag, to allow her freedom to wrap her arms around Derek's neck, to keep him kissing her because right at that moment, Penelope had never been made to feel alive with just one kiss. She'd never been electrified so much, never been heated and had never wanted a kiss to keep going in all her life.

Pulling away hesitantly, "You'll always be my best friend, Penelope; just now you know you'll always be the girl that stole my heart."

He could see she was still doubtful, so he grabbed her bags, took her hand gently in his and walked with her out of the lounge and to the exit.

"I need a couple of days with you." He told her and didn't say another word, just took her back to his mom's.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _Expecting that?_


	7. Kiss Of Promise

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_Quick update and early bed for me, stupid migraine making my functioning skills shocking! Thanks for all the reviews, favourites and alerts, love that this is still being loved =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"So how did you get on the plane exactly, Handsome?" Penelope asked as she walked out, side by side with Derek, his hand in hers, not allowing her hand to go.

"Gentle persuasion," Derek dropped in as they neared the exit, his entire face loose of anger and filled with a sense of tease and, at last, absolute happiness and ceaseless carefree light.

"Uh huh, so you barging in passed those flight attendants back there was..."

"All for effect Princess," He told her and shot her a cheeky million dollar smile.

"Course it was," Penelope said, letting it go, smiling at his cheap shot at a joke.

"Sir," An officer said as he stood in front of them, "Can we have a word?" He looked at Penelope, she was the woman that had been pointed out, and she had certainly been crying and looked exhausted, but she had a fading smile, "We were alerted to a disruption you caused on an aircraft about half an hour ago." He said as he looked back up at Derek, "We think it's best if you come with us."

"Officer, really we okay." Penelope defended.

The officer looked to Penelope questioningly, "We were alerted to abusive behaviour."

Penelope had to laugh a little, "I realise it looked a little...abusive, but we've had a rough couple of months and well it all came to head, I'm stubborn, he's stubborn, but I know, full well officer, that my man would never lay a hand on me."

The officer inspected them dubiously, eyeing Derek up and down, surveying if he was a good guy, bad guy.

"We work for the FBI; it'll take just one phone call for you to get a whole character reference of SSA Derek Morgan of the BAU here." Penelope said quite proudly, her tone somewhat croaky from sobbing her heart out the night before, "I really think there is nothing to worry about."

"We'll be keeping an eye out for an incidences that happen with you name on it Morgan," The officer said and then stepped closer, "You're lucky I don't arrest you ass on the grounds of committing a considered terrorist attack by gaining access onto a plane without an authorised ticket."

"Ever been in love?" Derek asked, not giving the officer an appropriate answer, slowly the older man nodded and Derek smiled, "Then you'd do anything to keep that love yours."

Derek just led Penelope around the officer, took her hand lightly in his again and walked out, the only other physical acts he showed was pushing a kiss to her temple and then whispering sweet nothings in her ear before finally reaching the bright light of the outsides as the sun broke through the clouds.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope sat in the back of the cab, Derek looking out of the window and she just stared at his face, he looked so serene, so at peace and she couldn't help but compare that his expression at that moment was the one he had when he stood at that alter.

She looked away, looking at her hands as her fingers played with the rings nervously and she felt a familiar rush of emotions trawl her entire body, her eyes filling with tears and the torture of that day just played on loop in her head.

"Baby Girl," Derek prompted and Penelope shot her head up to look at him, "What's a matter?"

Penelope tried to smile bravely but she had worn down every defence mechanism within her and she crumpled right before his eyes. She was done with being the Penelope that plied on the brave face and kept everyone upbeat because all she had done was annihilate her willpower to keep the act up for herself.

"You're still married." She said weakly.

Derek took her hand, "I haven't worn my ring since I found her in bed with another man. I was betrayed that night as much as she was, but it opened my eyes," He shrugged loosely at her, "I love you above everyone else in my life and I can't keep that marriage going when I don't believe in it anymore."

"Alice is still going to play up," Penelope fretted worriedly, "She never liked me, hated me for not dropping the nicknames, now I take her husband... really, I'm heading right down man snatcher avenue without meaning to."

"Love is a two way thing, it comes from both you and me, and she's known, she told me she knew, that I was in love with you. I'm just regretful that I was the last to see it."

Penelope looked at Derek's expression she now saw the sheer amount of pain his eyes harboured, how deeply the brown orbs penetrated into his soul, leaving it bare and readable and she took her hand from under his and placed it to his cheek gently, and she watched as he leant into it, closing his eyes at the bid of comfort he felt from that one simple gesture.

"Last to see it, first to hear it," Penelope told him softly, and she leant in, and as his eyes opened she kissed him, his eyes closing as his hands came up to deepen the kiss she had instigated.

Penelope finally poured her heart into a kiss, like Derek had in the airport, in their public display of love, she had just allowed Derek to capture her and enchant her into his spell. In that kiss she had believed a million and one happily endings could be possible, all of which ended with Derek Morgan by her side.

Pulling back Penelope felt she needed more, but like a guilty pleasure she held back, Derek was still married and stupidly she felt it an act against the law to kiss him. Like she was participating in an act of infidelity and she was becoming the mistress and not the soul attraction of a man.

Yet her and Derek kept their tradition. They always did things differently and even though with their love in the predicament it was she knew it was her he loved and no one else.

"God I do love you," Penelope whispered, her eyes stealing his gaze, capturing his mind in a whirlwind, she kept herself close, unaware what her every scent, breath, sound, look was doing to Derek in the process. "So much."

Smiling, Derek leant in closer then, needing more, finally feeling a completeness within him and he just kissed her again, completely unhindered and free and when he drew back his life finally felt in order.

If he could have one wish it'd be to have this moment on repeat, to just witness Penelope's undying love for him and feel the electricity and overwhelming power of their chemistry as it became rekindled and began to go into overdrive.

Derek was revelling in the feeling of familiarity as it flared up in him and he realised that he'd missed this feeling, this feeling he'd lost months ago and hadn't even realised until he got it back.

"Never leave me," He pleaded with her, not realising they had pulled into the road his mom lived on. "Whatever happens from today onwards, promise to never leave me."

"I'll never leave you, I promise, I never will." Penelope settled again and felt him pull her close and hold her like that for the last few seconds of journey.

She thought her emotional rollercoaster was finally coming to some type of end for the moment.

Yet as Penelope stepped out of the cab her eyes caught Fran's and her resolve disappeared again as she finally fell into the safe and guarding arms of a motherly hug.

Gaining her place back in a family fold once more.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	8. Punishment For Loving

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_Bit of a hurdle coming up... but I can promise there is a nice breather in the next chapter! =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope knew how to analyse the saying of the calm before the storm because directly after the truth was out and Penelope fell into a loved up oblivion with Derek, the storm whipped into Chicago, into the Morgan household and stood before them. A face full of anger, a body stood like stone, unbreakable and damaging and her eyes ignited with hate as they burnt right into Penelope.

"Slotted in nicely in my absence I see," Alice stated as Penelope stood up from the couch, Alice took in her fragile form, her nerves at seeing her and she smiled in glee at it. "Well I'm back now Penelope," Alice said grabbing Penelope's bright bag and going to the still opened door, "So we'll see you back in Quantico," She then threw the bag out of the door and wiped her hands down her skirt as though they were now filthy.

Penelope shook her head and went to grab her things that she was quite sure were scattered across the front yard, sure that her laptop was now broke with it. "You won't win this." She whispered lowly at Alice as she got closer, "You hurt him, and I'll hurt you." She then left and saw her stuff now spread apart on the grass.

Going for her laptop she didn't see Alice come behind her and push her over. Penelope looked up at Alice towering over her, her face full of menace and she leant down, Penelope waiting for Derek to stop this before it got too far but he was still in the shower, unaware that Alice was even in the same state.

"Derek doesn't love you," Penelope stuck up for herself as she stood up and decided that she was done with feeling low because of this woman. "He settled for second best with you, he said so himself and his opinion is as much appreciated as yours and if you loved him, you'd have taken his mistake and made better on it, you'd have shown him that you were better than me but instead you degraded yourself to spite him. You're nothing but a worthless whore that didn't deserve any of Derek's time or love."

All Penelope felt as she finished what she had wanted to say for so long, the whore bit and the fact that she wasn't worthy enough of Derek, was the pain shooting through her cheek as Alice punched her and she was back on the floor with the taste of blood in her mouth, her eyes stinging and embarrassment shaking her body.

Alice leant in again, unaware of Derek's anger filled body behind her, having just left the house in time to see the hit.

"If you hadn't realised something Penelope, it's that Derek said _I do_ to me! Not you, but me. He chose to love me, so don't you ever think he's gonna love you like that because he won't. He'll realise what a fat waste of space his wasted his time for and then he'll leave your ass so quick you'll be back in that stupid world of depression you so obviously lived in for months while you watched me get exactly what you wanted."

Just with that one punch alone Alice had made more enemies than family or friends and now, after her bitterness and nastiness she'd made even stronger enemies in Fran and Derek, and obliviously Derek's sisters as they pulled up in the drive.

"So just remember what it feels like to have him love you because I can tell you now, it'll be short lived. You'll be second best soon. To someone more attractive, _more suitable_."

Derek charged, he grabbed Alice's hand and threw her aside.

"I want you out of my face, I wasted my time on you, and I wasted what should've been the best day of my life on you. I'm sorry it all happened a little too late because had I known this side of you I'd have chucked you months ago."

Derek then helped Penelope up, allowing her to grab her now broken glasses first before holding her close to his side as the tears of pain fell down her cheeks, her eye already bruising, the area around it already swelling.

"I thought Penelope was my problem, I blamed her and for what?" Derek spat out, "For someone like you? I thought it was her fault we're going for a divorce already, when in actually fact it's you. I want an annulment and then I want you gone entirely. If Pen didn't need me right now then I'd have you arrested, hell I still will once I've got Penelope sorted so wait for the call yeah Alice?"

"You wouldn't." Alice tried to hide her alarm at that one little threat.

Penelope pushed away from Derek, looked at Alice, her eyes narrowed, "You're right we wouldn't, because we're not." Penelope told her dignified and went to pick her stuff up, shoving it all back into her bag, her cheek burning and throbbing with pain. As Penelope stood up once again she looked at Alice, "You might think you're better for hitting me Alice, for throwing a few mean words around, but whatever happens I'll always have Derek in my life one way or another."

Alice laughed, "That's what you think."

"I think it's time you left my house Alice," Fran spoke up, disgusted with how fast the turn of events had happened, how in a flash Alice turned into a monster, only escalating the feeling of dislike to hate. "I don't ever want you around my family again."

"Your family are nothing but trash," Alice said and turned to leave, only to be met with Derek's sisters.

Penelope just slipped back into the house and headed for the bathroom where she quickly shut the door to inspect the damage. Swallowing deeply she finally gained the courage to look and only ended up cringing at the damage.

She knew Alice did boxing as a work out to keep her figure but she didn't think she used it as payback and the bitter tears burnt in her eyes just at the thought. She'd had as much of a hand in breaking the marriage as Derek or Alice had. She dipped her head, turning the taps on ready to clean up the mess when the knock came.

"Baby Girl..." Derek said immediately after the first knock.

"I've got it sorted," She shouted back over the rush of water, praying it hid her tears.

"I've got the first aid kit, now let me in so we can fix you up and talk about what just happened."

Penelope didn't want to talk about it, she wanted to forget about it, but she knew Derek was of the pushy kind, she'd been on the receiving end of it on the plane, so she unlocked the door and sat on the edge of the bath as he came in slowly and quietly.

He looked at her face and he saw the hurt and the saddest as it reclaimed her eyes and all he did was sort the stuff to clean her up and then crouched in front of her.

"Don't believe her please." He said as he started to clean the cut on her cheek caused from Alice's rings, "What we have here is undying, if it wasn't then we wouldn't have found our way back to one another like we did."

"Most painful way back to someone I love I gotta say," Penelope confessed and closed her eyes as Derek applied the antiseptic cream to her cheek, "I'm not sure I can survive much more, Handsome."

Derek dropped his hand, seeming to go for more cream but in fact he was feeling guilty for everything Penelope suffered in silence, even if she chose to do so, he should've noticed that something wasn't quite on key with her, and only now did he realise what it was.

"You're stronger than you give yourself credit, P." He told her, and looked back up, looking into her eyes, showing her how much faith he had in that one statement.

Penelope shrugged, shook her head and then let her lip quiver some. "I'm not so sure anymore." She doubted and then looked down her at her hands, unable to see the pitying look in his eyes. "I remember when getting out of bed was the hardest thing I ever had to do, and that was after my parents, but then I met you and I had you and then you were engaged and now getting up and smiling is possibly the hardest things I have to do."

She felt the sting of her own tears as they hit the small cut and carried on tickling her check as they fell down her cheek and hit her hands sporadically. Slowing she looked up, needing to get that look over and done with but she saw no pity, just sheer guilt.

"I don't want this life, not with you, because it's hurts, Derek, it actually kills me because I love you so much. I don't want this life if it's going to end because I love you too much and no one else is ever going to compare. So please don't start this if Alice is going to be right and you're going to wake up one day and see your life with me as a mistake. I won't survive it."

"You will never know how sorry I am for what I've put you through, I was blind and a fool and it took all of this to make me realise. I never meant to hurt you and I promise you I will be with you until the very last day of our lives. Just promise to never leave me because I can't survive without you anymore."

"I'm not going anywhere, not now, not anymore." Penelope said and cupped his face, "I love you too much to walk away anymore."

"Good," Was all Derek said as he took her gently into his arms, holding her tight before pulling back enough to ignite her body, and scare away the saddest with one of the most electrifying kisses he had given in his entire life.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _You've only got two chapters left after this... who thinks it's gonna be a straight run?_


	9. Precious Traditions

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_I promised you a nice chapter... bitta love =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope sat on Derek's bed, ice pack to her cheek and watched as he changed. She felt her heart gallop as she saw him slip the top off of his body, revealing the luscious definitions of his body, the eight pack so pronounced, so perfect.

She bit her lip but broke into a smile as Derek caught her out and her cheeks flushed with a guilty blush.

"Like what you see, Baby?"He asked her seductively, his head dropping jokingly to look and check as if each of the cans in his pack were perfectly placed and symmetrical.

"As always," She purred back, her tone becoming more and more how it was before Alice became a serious counterpart in Derek's life.

Derek began to climb up the bed, placing his hands either side of her, keeping a gap big enough to get Penelope to want more, make the sexual tension boil.

"I can't do it, Handsome." Penelope rejected his moves and placed a hand to his bare shoulder to push him away. "It's not that I don't want to, because believe me I do. It's just-"

"I'm married?" Derek asked her as he sat back on the bed.

Penelope smiled weakly and nodded, "I don't want to be that girl, or feel like that girl and I know you've told me it's me you want and love but, Derek, you're still married, and it's not to me."

"It's fine," He said a little hurt, but he truly understood, "Just know that in some form in my life I knew I was going to get you."

Penelope tilted her head looking at him intently, how could he know that exactly? After all he got married to someone else so he had to have concluded that he wasn't going to get her. "How d'ya work that out eh, my Hunk of Burning Love?"

"Well... it might be stupid, but there's two ways." He said and went over to a drawer and pulled it open, pulling out six sealed envelopes and pieces of tatty papers. She watched him, studying every move as he made it.

"Now me and Des have a tradition." Derek said and tidied the paper work up in his hands, almost nervously. "And well, we never stopped, not even while I was in college, or when she went, or I moved state." He said back on the end of the bed and looked at Penelope, "We used to write down predictions for the future."

Now Penelope felt confused, she had no idea how she would fit into this but she was sure she was about to find out.

Placing down the mass of paper, Derek picked up one and unfolded it, "Follow in dad's footsteps, Freshmen year," he told her and folded it, "I got that part down to an art," he said and went onto the next, "Find a girl that blows my mind, or wait around for her, Senior year and first two years of college." He smirked at her, "Des thought I was crazy, I was young, a ladies' man, but I knew that I wanted what my mom and dad had, they had it all before he died. You know, love, marriage, house, kids... it just seemed to make them the happiest. I lost sight of that until I met you."

Penelope smiled as Derek seemed to enter a dreamlike state.

"I really thought I was finally getting that, not with the girl that blows my mind, mind you, but getting a start nonetheless."

"And now?"

Derek looked at her, snapping back to reality, "I've had the girl that blows my mind for six years." He said, the look he was giving her showing her exactly that she was that girl. No one else had that title in Derek's life.

"Now..." He said trailing off, picking up the envelopes, ignoring all the others, "The others are like formalities, they follow suit, but theses, these I made Des seal and put in here so they were never found."

Penelope gulped, watching Derek as he literally bled his heart out to her.

He took one of the envelopes and opened it, pulling a piece of paper out, "2004 - get to know Penelope Garcia on a _more_ personal basis." He read aloud and looked at Penelope, his lips smiling cheekily at her, "That was a success now wasn't it Baby Girl?"

All Penelope did was nod.

Derek grabbed the next one, "2005 - get a kiss from Penelope Garcia." Without leaving room for Penelope to answer he skipped over the moment and opened the next. "2006 - Get a least a date with Penelope," Derek said and laughed, "I was a little too cocky with the last one."

Penelope laughed a little, her tone completely caught with emotions, tears riddling it.

Derek smiled at her, gave her a wink and grabbed the next one, "2007 - never give up faith in the girl that blows my mind." Derek smiled at that, he had never given up his faith in Penelope loving him; he just felt it easier to have her as a friend than lose her by declaring love he felt wasn't reciprocated.

Penelope sat up a little, and watched him take one of the last remaining manila envelopes, "2008 - make it up to Penelope," Derek bit the end of that sentence off. That one was for just after Penelope was shot, he rang the New Year in believing that he could make it up to her, but her getting shot made a lot more damage than any of them could anticipate.

"You had nothing to make up to me," Penelope told him gently, leaning forward more again, "You did it all, you were there for me, you were perfect."

Derek nodded, shook his head of memories and grabbed the penultimate envelope.

He cleared his throat, "2009 - beat Kevin Lynch," He said and looked at her, his wicked grin back in place, "I like to think I did beat him, until Alice."

"Oh, trust me, you beat him." Penelope told him confidently.

"I vow to continue doing so." Derek promised and picked up the last envelope, he looked at Penelope, took a deep breath, if he spoke about this before reading it then he was in no way ever going to read it to her. So pulling up the seal quickly, it whipped the piece of paper out and the read, "2010 - never give up on loving Penelope Garcia."

Penelope hiccupped at that, making Derek's head jerk up to look at her; he saw her keeping a hold on things. He'd kept his tradition going for years, decades even, but when she stepped into his life, she stepped into the tradition.

That to her spoke more than words themselves.

"Penelope, I never meant to break your heart, I just didn't realise what I had," Derek told her truthfully, "Can this fool be forgiven?"

Penelope didn't need to think before she spoke, "I forgave you the moment my heart started to piece back together."

Derek smiled brightly, "Now how's the face?"

"Probably the most broken part of me at this very moment in time, Hot Stuff." Penelope said and pulled the ice pack away, "How's it looking?"

"Let's just say it's a good thing purple's your favourite colour, Sweetness."

Derek narrowly missed taking a pillow to the face.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _One more chapter left guys, who wants it?_


	10. Realisations and Proclamations

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N: **_Essentially the last chapter, but I see some people rooting for an epilogue so possibly you might have one of those coming your way =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope walked into work a week later, completely revitalised and able to cover the bruise with makeup to not look like it had been slapped on with a shovel. She walked with Derek, after finding him at her door that morning, and she had never been happier.

She still had a churn of dread, and she knew that wouldn't go until Derek was single again. A part of her felt bad, he'd only been married under a fortnight and already he was more excited about a divorce than anything else.

Safe to say his honeymoon period was well and truly dead and gone.

He'd beg to differ, for him it had just begun. Every morning, when he woke up with Penelope in his arms, kicked started it all over again.

She had to agree, his kisses were a whole other phenomenon to what she had had before. They started tentative, and then gradually they'd slowly gather momentum, as though getting the taste of Penelope on his lips motivated Derek, instigated in him to get more.

At the start, she worried that when she couldn't hide behind his marital status any longer she'd have to allow Derek to 'worship' her body like he promised ritualistically. Then she looked at herself in the mirror, like really looked at herself as she stepped out of the shower that morning and she realised she was just as, if not more, beautiful than any twig that wanted a chance with Derek. She had curves, but she wasn't fat and she certainly wasn't obese or flabby, or any other negative look, and for once, Penelope looked at her body as a temple, loving every flowing curve that flowed. So what if she had a stretch mark there, or a blemish here, or a tiny bit of cellulite? She'd read in magazines before just how skinny women still suffered cellulite, blemishes, even stretch marks that they had from childhood.

So when she walked out in her towel and saw Derek, she felt even more empowered than ever and her head remained high and she remained at her most confident level ever.

"What's up with you today eh, Baby Girl?" Derek asked they approached their offices.

"Nothing," She chirped with a bright smile, "I just have a good feeling about today that's all, Hot Stuff."

However the smile dissolved as Alice literally glided out of Derek's open door, neither had either noticed that factor, and stood with her arms crossed over her chest, her face a right picture of doom and her eyes planting a killer glare on Penelope once again.

"Derek," She said, ignoring Penelope entirely, and then she let her eyes go, lightening them, giving him an alluring glance, "Honey, we need to talk."

"It's gotta be important for you to come to my work, so what is it?" Derek asked not impressed at her surprise appearance at work.

Alice smiled innocently, "In private, Baby." She spoke softly, almost delicately to him. "I mean, we have loads of stuff to discuss, I wanted to apologise for everything. I know how you like an apology and I'm willing to show you just how sorry I am about everything. How I did wrong, how out of line I know I was, but I want to show you that I'm ready to be Mrs Morgan, I'll change my name, I should've done it in the first place."

She tilted her head to look at him. Again Penelope was invisible obviously.

"And well, I was hoping to rip the divorce papers that have been written up." Alice finally said, her tone quite hopeful. "I've booked another honeymoon."

Derek walked to Alice, seeming like he was interested, he pushed her into his office, Penelope warily going closer, "I want you to listen and listen closely Alice, you rip those, if you think we'll work, because believe me I'll take much joy in watching those be ripped up." Derek told her heatedly.

Penelope's heart stopped for a moment.

"Be my guest, but I'll get new ones drawn up right away because I don't want to be married to a woman like you, I got into my job to fight against people that hurt others and I married one. What I witnessed in Chicago was nothing short of bullying and I thought we were grownups."

"So what you're gonna divorce me and marry her?" Alice asked in utter disgust and pointed at Penelope.

"Yeah because Morgan she really isn't marriage material." Kevin's voice came from behind Penelope, making her jump and making her feel bullied all over again. "She's not a good lay, she's a lousy lover, she doesn't listen, she's independent driven and she's just not the type of girl you wanna take back to your parents."

Penelope didn't look at anyone, her cheeks heating up with the flares of embarrassment.

Derek grabbed a pen as Alice started to laugh and read over the paper work before he scribbled his name on the papers quickly and then shoved them into Alice's hands, "Do what you need to, but I don't want any more to do with you, but," he said and looked at Penelope who had finally gained courage to look up at him, he winked and looked from Kevin to Alice, "You two belong together, you're both cheaters and liars and don't appreciate anything you're given."

He walked to Penelope, took her hand and pulled her into the room, away from Kevin and next to him, he smiled brightly.

"Between the pair of you, you made me realise something." Derek started and looked to Kevin first, "Penelope was too giving to ever give you any piece of her."

"She sure did that," Kevin joked nastily, "You do know what she looks like under her clothes right?" Kevin carried on, digging himself a nice deep hole, Derek, without a second thought was in his face, "W-what? It was just a question."

"I suggest you leave question time alone or I swear to God I will hit you so hard you won't be able to have a chance to question anything ever again." He saw the fear ignite in Kevin's eyes and backed down, he then patted Kevin's cheek sarcastically, "Good boy, now look at Penelope and realise what you lost because you know you'll never get a girl like her again. You lost big time buddy and I promise you this, you'll be getting an invite to our wedding."

Alice laughed a bit at that, "Divorce one, get married to another, is that going to be a little routine now Derek?" She asked and got encouraged by Kevin's laugh.

"Lynch, I warned you once, if I have to warn you again it'll be too soon."

"S-sorry," he said and this time he looked more terrified by the death glare Derek was watching him with.

"Don't let me tell you again," He ground out and turned back to Alice, "Divorce you, marry Penelope and I'm done." He finalised, "And believe me you'll be getting an invite when I marry this sexy, curvy, beautiful woman." Derek said and stepped back to Penelope. "Nothing compares."

Alice went to speak, to make another snide remark, to kill Derek's vision of Penelope but was cut short.

"Every little part of me screams Penelope Garcia," Derek said and wrapping his arms around Penelope, he bent her down, kissing her in the style only made for perfected movie scenes.

Alice and Kevin could only watch on, he was right every little part of him screamed Penelope, something he'd never done for her. Ever.

She could only be jealous of what she had lost.

Kevin could only feel the emptiness of hope manifest that Derek was now kissing the only woman he had ever truly loved.

While Penelope's heart was now unbreakably healed.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _The End! _

_Okay, not really, epilogue soon =)_


	11. Of Proposals And Roses

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just mine to have a little fun while I can...**

**A/N:**_Epilogue time! Hope you like, and thanks to everyone that stuck with this and loved it =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope was sitting in her apartment, the TV on, it playing more to itself than anything and she couldn't stop her mind from running rallies on itself.

It had been a couple of weeks since the entire Kevin-Alice tag team moment at work but the one thing that stuck in her gut, something that no one else was told, was that Kevin had claimed her as unmarriageable, as someone you wouldn't want to take home to meet your folks.

If anything that hurt her more than the break up itself.

She wondered if Derek would come down to those conclusions months down the road. That he'd wake up one morning and just, for one second, wonder if the woman next to him was worth all the heart ache and break for. If she was the one that he wanted to give it all to.

Penelope fought with her thoughts for a moment, the rush of depression that she had been swept through in the events of Derek's marriage. How hard it had been to just live on knowing that her heart was battling an unwinnable war. How everything had come to a head in almost a form of darkened hatred.

Her heart panged at the mere thought of it all. She had lived through hell and came out the other side with the man she loved finally aware of how much she loved him. Even better, she knew how much he loved her.

So why today, was she plagued with ridiculous thoughts and unrealistic scenarios?

Simple, today was the day that Derek finally took one last part of his life with Alice and cut all ties with her for good. He was selling a home he had worked years for and given to Alice as their marital home and was now splitting away from that life and cutting all contact with Alice.

Looking at the TV she knew she had to just relax, she had to trust Derek, trust her heart because she knew that true love was giving someone the power to break your heart but trusting them not to, and well, she knew Derek had broken her heart unknowingly but he had spent every waking moment mending it and she know trusted him to value it, trust it and never drop for it to shatter again.

Thinking back she had no reason to question him. Every night they were together, either at his new place or hers, every Friday, without fail if there wasn't a case, they went on a date just the two of them, Saturday's were for dancing and drinks with the team. And if they had caught a case then it was hours on the phone until one or the other fell asleep.

Derek loved her, and she had nothing to worry about ever.

She heard a key get slid into the door, maybe it was the several hours later appearance that was now at her door that had her worried. Derek said he'd only be an hour or two at the most. Except he had been gone hours, and not wanting to be the clingy, questioning type of girlfriend she had left him be.

Pushing the door open, Derek walked in, a coy smile on his lips, a bouquet of red roses in his hand and a new lease of life in his eyes and Penelope knew he was finally a free man.

"I've been gone hours, Baby, where was my phone call eh?" He asked her and watched her intently as he pushed the door closed.

"I wasn't worried." Penelope deflected, and shrugged trying to make out that she wasn't worried at all.

"Hmm," Derek sounded as he put the flowers on the little island that split her kitchen from her main living space. "Well..." He started and then put his hands into his pocket and stood there. "It's nice to have the concern," he teased before continuing, "and well, you see, had you called I would've had to have spun a huge white lie about what I was up to, but now that opportunities passed I guess I'll just have to do this." He told her and pulled a little purple velvet box from his pocket. "I'm going to leave this here;" he placed it down by the roses, "until such time as you're ready to wear it." He then went towards the bathroom.

"Derek," Penelope shouted completely shell shocked in that moment. "What is that?" She asked him dumbly.

Derek chuckled, "That's for you to find out when you're ready to open the box for yourself." He told her quite seriously and then stalked over to her, he put his hand out to her and she looked at it. "For now I have an apology to make."

Penelope looked at his open hand and back up to his face, "an apology for what exactly?"

"How about I show you?"

Penelope put her hand in his and the moment she was on her feet, well barely, their lips connected and she melted into his arms all over again. And again, just like that, every little hurtful thought was banished from her entire being and she was literally love drunk like never before.

"I'm sorry for not calling." Derek said as he pulled away from the kiss, holding her gaze within his and he ran his hands over her body, keeping her as close as humanly possible. "I'm sorry for waiting this long to make either of us entirely happy, and I'm sorry for not doing the dishes before I left."

Penelope had to laugh at that last admittance, "Well that last one there, Hot Stuff, might be the thing that gets you kicked to the curb."

"Oh really?" He quizzed her, an eyebrow raised.

"Really," She joked back, her tone becoming husky with the ever building lust, "Now if I do that, can I keep the roses and that little pretty box?"

Derek began to smirk, "Let me just see about that..." He didn't even need to finish as he trailed off and pushed her towards the bed, about to fulfil both their needs and show Penelope how ready she was for that box.

For tonight he'd make her forget about, but in the morning would be a whole other story.

And that was it, Derek wiped Penelope's mind clear with ever heightening kisses, orgasms and thrusts of pure ecstasy.

The next morning Penelope spent fighting herself to not look in the box. Not knowing if to do so without Derek around.

When she caved she looked from the glistening diamond on the gold ring up to Derek's bright face as he smiled at her.

She now had two favourite views in the world.

Both worthy of having every little part of her declare her love for.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Every Little Part of Me -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _The 'proper' End!_


End file.
